'Pubs are closing because of lack of use, because of the price of everything' - Your letters plus a Picture from the Past

So, our Prime Minister (can't say his name) thinks to get our economy to grow is to allow pubs to stay open longer and to have meals served in outdoor areas.

No, Prime Minister. The answer is to reduce the cost of living. People cannot afford the astronomical price of goods and cannot afford to eat out. Does he not yet realise that the people of this nation are struggling to live and pay their bills? Pubs are closing because of lack of use, because of the price of everything. Surely common sense says if for instance you put the price of car parking up then people will stop using the car park, which happened in the Dudley Borough.

If prices are reduced and people can afford things then people will buy and therefore business will thrive and prosper, or is that just too simplistic?

All everyone does when prices go upwards is stop buying simply because other essential items have to take priority. So, Mr Prime Minister, come down from the planet you are on and see what life is like on planet earth.

Pete Lowe, Brierley Hill

My idea to end Brum bin strike

Here’s an idea to sort out this bin strike. Birmingham Council legally draw up an agreement to ask all the workers return to work, working to the new proposal that the council say will not impact negatively the workers’ wages.

The workers try it for one month, then on receiving their pay slip if they can prove there is a loss of pay the council must reimburse within one week.

If there is no loss of pay then work continues under the new proposal.

So give this a try – there’s nothing to lose.  

Colin Hubbard, Dudley

Picture from the Past

Jenrick’s view is just misguided

Like your anonymous correspondent I was born in 1947. Again like him/her I have memories of Handsworth, having worked there half a century ago, from 1974 to 1978. Then, as now, Soho Road was a lively place of commerce catering largely for customers of South Asian ethnic background. I am not so convinced as the author that Robert Jenrick's remarks were "harmless". Jenrick described the area as badly integrated because he had not seen a white face. This may have been true. I live in an area of Walsall where you could probably spend a similar time without seeing a black or brown face (unless you called an Uber or had an Amazon delivery). Somehow, I don't think that Robert Jenrick would describe this area as badly integrated.

Nor did Jenrick - and by extension the author - address the question of why black and brown people are concentrated in some areas and not others - Sparkbrook and not Sutton Coldfield, Whitmore Reans and not Wightwick, Palfrey and not Streetly. This has to do with rents, income and job availability.

Alan Harrison, Walsall

Taxi licences over boundaries

I don't know what the criteria is on issuing private hire licences, but it amazes me that so many private hire taxis that are operating on Birmingham’s roads are licensed in Wolverhampton.

Surely the registration of licensed cabs is for the use in the city of registration, worked out on the demographics of that city.

Although I can understand the crossing of boundary lines I can’t understand why a taxi licensed in Wolverhampton is operating from a base in Birmingham.

I don’t know if this is because of some quirk in the law, or something a bit more sinister.

But it seems to me that either there are stricter rules to getting a Birmingham licence or there is something very a amiss in Wolverhampton.

ST Vaughan, Birmingham

I’m living in a world of pink

I’m wearing pink earrings

And also pink socks

Would you believe it?

Bright pink are my Crocs

They are really quite comfy

To walk on the beach

To stride down the lane

The sea within easy reach

It’s a really lovely colour

I wear it a lot

You may think it’s too bright

I do wear black sometimes

With red and with white

Sometimes I wonder why so many youngsters

Wear so much black?

I can be depressing, when colours lack

They believe it’s the fashion to look so austere

But as they get older, things will become clear!

I’ve never “done” fashion, not stylish I fear!

Josephine Hickens, Wolverhampton

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